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Topic Review
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Compounds from Echinoderms
Chronic inflammation can extensively burden a healthcare system. Several synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs are currently available in clinical practice, but each has its side effect profile. The planet is gifted with vast and diverse oceans, which provide a treasure of bioactive compounds, the chemical structures of which may provide valuable pharmaceutical agents. Marine organisms contain various bioactive compounds, some of which have anti-inflammatory activity and have received considerable attention from the scientific community to develop anti-inflammatory drugs. Herein, it was described such bioactive compounds, as well as crude extracts (published during 2010–2022) from echinoderms: namely, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, and starfish. Moreover, their chemical structures were also included, evaluation models, and anti-inflammatory activities, including the molecular mechanism(s) of these compounds. Herein, it also highlights the potential applications of those marine-derived compounds in the pharmaceutical industry to develop leads for the clinical pipeline. In conclusion, here is a well-documented reference for the research progress on developing potential anti-inflammatory drugs from echinoderms against various chronic inflammatory conditions.
  • 692
  • 17 Nov 2022
Topic Review
Cultured Cells Exposed to Oxidative Stress
In 1972, Brunk and Ericsson found that significant amounts of lysosomal acid phosphatases leak through the ultrastructurally intact lysosomal membrane in cultured glioma cells. Subsequently, Brunk and his colleagues established the concept of lysosomal membrane permeabilization (LMP) in a series of works using cultured cells which were exposed to artificial oxidative stress. 
  • 690
  • 06 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Sphingosine-1-Phosphate in Psychiatric Diseases
Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid that regulates both the immune response and the permeability of biological barriers. Notably, S1P-based drugs, such as fingolimod and ozanimod, have received approval for treating multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS), and ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory condition of the colon, respectively.
  • 686
  • 17 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Antioxidants in Diabetes, Vascular Injury, Hypoxia, Atherosclerosis, Allergies
Oxidative and reductive stress are deviations from the optimal conditions when the capacity of cellular redox buffer systems is exceeded. Both conditions are harmful for cellular function and viability. Antioxidant systems include small molecules, such as ascorbate, α-tocopherol, GSH, many food additives and spices, the enzymes superoxide dismutases (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidases (GPx), proteins peroxiredoxins, thioredoxins and others.
  • 685
  • 15 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Bubble-Based Drug Delivery Systems in Practice
The administration of microbubbles and nanobubbles (MNBs) has the possibility to provide therapeutic and diagnostic information without the same ramifications. Microbubbles (MBs), for instance, have been used for ultrasound (US) imaging due to their ability to remain in vessels when exposed to ultrasonic waves. On the other hand, nanobubbles (NBs) can be used for further therapeutic benefits, including chronic treatments for osteoporosis and cancer, gene delivery, and treatment for acute conditions, such as brain infections and urinary tract infections (UTIs).
  • 685
  • 18 Sep 2023
Topic Review
The Role of the Complement System in HUS
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is an acute disease and the most common cause of childhood acute renal failure. HUS is characterized by a triad of symptoms: microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury. In most of the cases, HUS occurs as a result of infection caused by Shiga toxin-producing microbes: hemorrhagic Escherichia coli and Shigella dysenteriae type 1. They account for up to 90% of all cases of HUS. The remaining 10% of cases grouped under the general term atypical HUS represent a heterogeneous group of diseases with similar clinical signs. Emerging evidence suggests that in addition to E. coli and S. dysenteriae type 1, a variety of bacterial and viral infections can cause the development of HUS. In particular, infectious diseases act as the main cause of aHUS recurrence. The pathogenesis of most cases of atypical HUS is based on congenital or acquired defects of complement system. 
  • 685
  • 22 Jan 2024
Topic Review
CircRNAs and RNA-Binding Proteins
Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a newly recognized group of noncoding RNA transcripts, have established widespread attention due to their regulatory role in cell signaling. They are covalently closed noncoding RNAs that form a loop, and are typically generated during the splicing of precursor RNAs. CircRNAs are key post-transcriptional and post-translational regulators of gene expression programs that might influence cellular response and/or function. In particular, circRNAs have been considered to function as sponges of specific miRNA, regulating cellular processes at the post-transcription stage. Accumulating evidence has shown that the aberrant expression of circRNAs could play a key role in the pathogenesis of several diseases. Notably, circRNAs, microRNAs, and several RNA-binding proteins, including the antiproliferative (APRO) family proteins, could be indispensable gene modulators, which might be strongly linked to the occurrence of diseases. In addition, circRNAs have attracted general interest for their stability, abundance in the brain, and their capability to cross the blood–brain barrier.
  • 682
  • 21 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Gender Differences in Insulin Resistance
Gender plays an important role in determining metabolism, both in normal subjects and in subjects affected by dysfunction related to insulin resistance (IR). Studying these relationships may provide insight into how hormonal changes during different life stages, such as puberty, pregnancy, and the menopause, affect IR and diabetes risk.
  • 682
  • 24 Oct 2023
Topic Review
Host Factors Affect the Gut Microbiome
Living organisms in nature exist as communities of various species, interacting closely with each other. Microbial organisms are also present as heterogeneous populations. Microbial organisms frequently appear as a dense mixture of various species to interact with each other in nature.
  • 681
  • 29 Mar 2022
Topic Review
Graphene Oxide Platform for Cancer Research
Pancreatic cancer, notorious for its grim 10% five-year survival rate, poses significant clinical challenges, largely due to late-stage diagnosis and limited therapeutic options.
  • 681
  • 29 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Autoimmunity and Mitochondria
Although previously restricted to a limited number of medical conditions, there is a growing appreciation that ‘autoimmune’ (or immune-mediated) processes are important aspects of a wide array of diverse medical conditions, including cancers, neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. All of these classes of medical conditions are associated with alterations in mitochondrial function across an array of diverse cell types. Accumulating data indicate the presence of the mitochondrial melatonergic pathway in possibly all body cells, with important consequences for pathways crucial in driving CD8+ T cell and B-cell ‘autoimmune’-linked processes. Melatonin suppression coupled with the upregulation of oxidative stress suppress PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1)/parkin-driven mitophagy, raising the levels of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-1, which underpins the chemoattraction of CD8+ T cells and the activation of antibody-producing B-cells. Many factors and processes closely associated with autoimmunity, including gut microbiome/permeability, circadian rhythms, aging, the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB) all interact with the mitochondrial melatonergic pathway. A number of future research directions and novel treatment implications are indicated for this wide collection of poorly conceptualized and treated medical presentations.
  • 675
  • 09 May 2023
Topic Review
Liquid Biopsy in Gastrointestinal Cancer Disease
Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are a common cancer, affecting both men and women, normally diagnosed through tissue biopsies in combination with imaging techniques and standardized biomarkers leading to patient selection for local or systemic therapies. Liquid biopsies (LBs)—due to their non-invasive nature as well as low risk—are the current focus of cancer research and could be a promising tool for early cancer detection and treatment surveillance, thus leading to better patient outcomes. 
  • 673
  • 18 Apr 2023
Topic Review
Continuous Subcutaneous Insulin Delivery Systems
An insulin pump is an electronic device that releases rapid insulin according to the body’s daily needs. Insulin pumps deliver insulin in two primary ways: A continuous infusion of small amounts of rapid insulin throughout the day and night (basal rate) and A one-time dose of rapid-acting insulin for meals or high blood glucose correction (bolus).
  • 666
  • 10 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Matrix Metalloproteinases Polymorphism
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of Calcium and Zinc-dependent endoproteases able to degrade all extracellular matrix components and with a wide array of intracellular targets. They are involved in many physiologic processes (e.g. reproduction, tissue remodeling, cell migration, apoptosis) as well as in disease (cancer, cardiovascular and infective). Their biological activity is regulated with different mechanisms at expression, activation and neutralization levels. One of the earliest, is the occurrence of functional genetic polymorphisms (GP), i.e. DNA sequence variants of the gene or of its promoter (flanking region) accounting for a different expression. In some of these GP it has been demonstrated that one allelic variant ensures a different binding of transcription factors compared to the alternative allele. Another regulatory mechanism is neutralization, which is based on the expression of 4 different Tissue Inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs) which undergo to the same regulation by GP. GPs of MMPs and TIMPs have been associated to susceptibility or complications of various diseases. GPs of MMPs and TIMP (namely MMP-1 rs1799750, MMP-3 rs3025058, MMP-8 rs11225395, MMP-9 rs2234681, and TIMP-1 rs4898) have been compared in 1058 patients with suspected sepsis to assess the association with susceptibility and etiology of sepsis.
  • 658
  • 22 Feb 2022
Topic Review
Pathophysiology of Childhood-Onset Myasthenia
Myasthenia gravis (MG) is understood to be a neuromuscular disorder caused by an immune disturbance at the neuromuscular junction, which results in symptoms such as muscle weakness and fatigue.
  • 657
  • 24 Jan 2024
Topic Review
Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein Immunopathology, Treatment and Visual Outcome
The International Consensus Group on MOG autoantibody-associated disease (MOGAD) has proposed that the diagnostic criteria for MOGAD should include the presence of anti-MOG autoantibodies detected using cell-based assays. MOGAD is typically associated with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), optic neuritis (ON), and transverse myelitis (TM) and is less commonly associated with cerebral cortical encephalitis, brainstem or cerebellar symptoms, and clinical presentations including the combination of several phenotypes and sometimes accompanies other autoantibodies such as anti-N-methy-D aspartate receptor (NMDAR) autoantibodies with symptoms of autoimmune encephalitis.
  • 656
  • 18 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Technical Measures to Prolong Analgesia
With the development of extended-release formulations and enhanced selectivity for nociceptive sensory neurons, a very promising contribution to the development of pain medications has been achieved. At present, liposomal bupivacaine is the most popular, non-opioid, controlled drug delivery system, but its duration of action, which is still controversially discussed, and its expensiveness have decreased initial enthusiasm. Continuous techniques can be seen as an elegant alternative for providing a prolonged duration of analgesia, but for logistic or anatomical reasons, they are not always the best choice. Therefore, focus has been directed towards the perineural and/or intravenous addition of old and established substances. 
  • 653
  • 14 Mar 2023
Topic Review
Biomedical Applications of the Biopolymer Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)
Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a biodegradable and biocompatible biopolymer that has gained popularity in the field of biomedicine. PHBV has shown to be a versatile platform for drug delivery, offering controlled release, enhanced therapeutic efficacy, and reduced side effects. The encapsulation of various drugs, such as anticancer agents, antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory drugs, in PHBV nanoparticles or microspheres has been extensively investigated, demonstrating enhanced drug stability, prolonged release kinetics, and increased bioavailability. Additionally, PHBV has been used as a scaffold material for tissue engineering applications, such as bone, cartilage, and skin regeneration. The incorporation of PHBV into scaffolds has been shown to improve mechanical properties, biocompatibility, and cellular interactions, making them suitable for tissue engineering constructs. 
  • 652
  • 28 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Tβ4-POP-Ac-SDKP Axis in Organ Fibrosis
Fibrosis is a pathological process in which parenchymal cells are necrotic and excess extracellular matrix (ECM) is accumulated due to dysregulation of tissue injury repair. Thymosin β4 (Tβ4) is a 43 amino acid multifunctional polypeptide that is involved in wound healing. Prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) is the main enzyme that hydrolyzes Tβ4 to produce its derivative N-acetyl-seryl-aspartyl-lysyl-proline (Ac-SDKP) which is found to play a role in the regulation of fibrosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that the Tβ4-POP-Ac-SDKP axis widely exists in various tissues and organs including the liver, kidney, heart, and lung, and participates in the process of fibrogenesis. The Tβ4-POP-Ac-SDKP axis exerts protective effects against organ fibrosis. It is promising that appropriate dosing regimens that rely on this axis could serve as a new therapeutic strategy for alleviating organ fibrosis in the early and late stages.
  • 646
  • 16 Nov 2022
Topic Review
H2S and DNA Repair
Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gasotransmitter that exerts numerous physiologic and pathophysiologic effects. Recently, a role for H2S in DNA repair has been identified, where H2S modulates cell cycle checkpoint responses, the DNA damage response (DDR), and mitochondrial and nuclear genomic stability.
  • 641
  • 26 Nov 2021
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